Nicolas Costa: “Sao Paulo… it’s a race I’m very motivated to win!”
Nicolas Costa, from Rio de Janeiro, is just one of two Brazilian drivers who will compete on home soil for the upcoming Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo which takes place from 13-14 July.
Costa will be driving a McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo with British team United Autosports and will line up in the WEC’s new-for-2024 LMGT3 category alongside fellow Brazilian Augusto Farfus who will drive the BMW M4 LMGT3 with Team WRT.
“I’ve raced at Interlagos so many times that I cannot count…by far it is the track that I have raced at the most – in every type of car! It’s really good to be back racing there, but now in a World Championship,” explained 32-year-old Costa.
He added: “I have so many good memories from Interlagos. My first racecar win was there – in a single seater so that was a very special moment. Last year, I won the Porsche Carrera Cup Championship at the season-finale, together with Formula 1 there – it was a dream come true!”
It’s been ten years since the WEC last competed at Interlagos and so the circuit will be new to many of the WEC’s 37 car entry list, and Costa went on to explain some of the key characteristics: “It’s a track that tests all the strengths of the car… we have a really long straight going uphill so power is really needed. We have fast corners, slow corners – it’s very traction dependent and aero too. So, it’s a hard track to balance the car overall and it’s important to have a good package!”
Costa continued: “My favourite corner is the Laranjinha – which is a double right-hander, going uphill – very fast and blind on the exit. Interlagos is a very flowing track, it’s corner after corner after corner – especially on the infield. It’s a circuit where you need to carry the speed all the time – you need to focus always on the next corner. If you do one mistake, then it can compromise two or three corners after that. So, it’s important to be in a rhythm - that really is key to having a good lap time.”
“To race at my home track with United Autosports and McLaren is really special. To be here representing my country in a World Championship racing in Brazil driving for a team like United Autosports and representing McLaren is a dream. It’s a race that I’m very motivated to win and I think we have the capacity to do so. I just can’t wait now for race day!”
Click HERE to view the full entry list for the Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo.
For ticketing information, click HERE.
